


Better than Fine

by invisible_aliens



Series: Carry On Countdown 2018 [4]
Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2018-11-28
Packaged: 2019-09-01 19:07:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,040
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16771078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/invisible_aliens/pseuds/invisible_aliens
Summary: Baz thinks it's time to tell Fiona about his relationship with Simon, but he's worried about how she'll take it.Post-Carry OnWritten for the Carry On Countdown 2018, Day 4: Fluff Day





	Better than Fine

**SIMON**

Baz has always been close to his aunt Fiona. But lately he's been feeling nervous because she doesn't know about our relationship. (I think only Penny knows at the moment. She wasn’t as surprised as I thought she might be. “It made sense once I thought about it,” she said. “You never shut up about him.”)

“Do you think I can tell her?” he asks as we sit together in our favourite cafe. (The owner likes us and sometimes gives me free scones.)

“I don't know,” I say. “I don't know her. But you seem pretty close to her, and she doesn't mind that you're gay. From what you say, I think she really cares about you. So hopefully she won't mind?” I shrug.

“Right,” he says, standing up, “I'm going to tell her. I'm going to tell her this afternoon. She's expecting me anyway.”

I swallow my last mouthful of scone and follow him out. I feel a churn of nerves in my stomach. I want this to go well. He knows his father won't be happy, and he needs someone from his family on his side.

  


**FIONA**

Usually when Baz comes to visit me he's his usual confident self, a relaxed smile on his face and a slight smugness in his walk.

But today he's different. Restless and unsettled. He pauses in the entrance to my apartment, hesitant as he comes in.

“How are you going today?” I ask. I don't expect him to come right out with it, but I ask anyway. To let him know that I know something's up, and I'm on his side. (Probably, anyway.)

He shrugs as I lead him into the small living room, where he sits down on the couch. Normally he lounges around as if it's his own apartment, but today he just sits, hunched over slightly and gripping the fabric of the couch tightly.

He pulls his phone out of his pocket and checks it.

“S- Snow's in the area,” he says. “Is it okay if he comes round?”

He's trying to sound casual, like this idea just occurred to him, but it has to be planned. I know he's spent rather a lot of time with the Chosen One recently, but I'm not sure why Baz wants him to come around. I'd assumed they'd formed some sort of connection after what happened with the Mage (good riddance) but maybe they discovered they actually got along well enough to be friends. (Although if so, I don't know why it took them eight years to realise it.)

Or maybe Baz has decided to off Snow, and he's about to tell me to poison the tea. (Although there's less point in doing that now that the Mage is dead.)

“Sure,” I reply, raising my eyebrows and waiting for him to say more.

But he just nods awkwardly, and looks down at his phone.

It's only a few minutes later when there's a timid knock at the door. (Hasn't he learnt to use a doorbell?)

And then Simon Snow, the Chosen One, is sitting in my lounge room. He keeps giving me nervous looks from the corner of his eye. I try not to look too menacing. If he's here as Baz's friend, I don't want to scare him (not too much, anyway) and if Baz has brought him here for a more sinister purpose, I'd rather not give him any warning.

Baz gives Snow a little smile, and it seems to calm him. Both of them, in fact.

“So since Christmas, Simon and I have been… Spending quite a bit of time together.” Snow snorts. I glare at him. Baz takes a big breath.

“And the thing is… We're actually a couple now. As in, Simon's my boyfriend.”

This isn’t what I was expecting. Snow has always been the enemy, and I’d never heard any hint that there might be more to it than that.

They're both looking at me like I'm about to explode.

“Wow,” I say. “I didn't see this coming.”

“But you're alright with it?” Baz looks so scared.

“Of course I'm alright with. It's bound to rise some eyebrows, though. And I have to admit I'm sceptical that you're a good match, not that's it's up to me. Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Yes!” Baz is outraged. “It's more than I ever could have dreamed of.”

Snow shuffles over across the couch until he's pressed close to Baz, and takes his hand.

“Um,” Snow says, “It's definitely a good idea. Really good, in fact. So… Yeah.”

They're both grinning like morons. Maybe they are a good match. It could be good for politics, even. (Not that Malcolm will approve.)

“Well,” I say, “It's probably time I got to know you then, Simon. How do you feel about scones?”

I didn't get enough scones.

The first thing I learn about Simon is that he loves scones. And he doesn't want to talk much when there are any around.

“So when the hell did you two even get together?” I ask.

They look at each other.

“At Christmas,” says Baz.

“When Simon went to stay with you.”

He nods. “But we hadn't quite got together yet.”

“Yes, he only came because of some school project, I think you said.” I pick the last crumbs of scone off my plate.

“Well… He was actually helping me work who killed Mother. We'd gotten a lot closer over the months while we had been trying to uncover it all.”

I pause. I hadn't known Simon had been helping him with that. I underestimated him.

It makes me feel a bit guilty. I'd always sort of thought of Simon and the Mage as one person.

But the Mage and Simon are nothing alike. One of them killed Natasha, the other helped expose him.

“You're not as bad as I thought you were, Simon.”

He smiles uncertainly.

“Even if you do eat too many scones.”

“Oh,” he says, looking around, as if he just realised how many he'd eaten. “I'm sorry. Do you want me to get you some more? I'm not very good at baking, but-”

“Don't worry,” Baz tells him firmly. “It's all fine.”

It’s better than fine.


End file.
